I started life as a journalist and political operative. I'm a consultant and the author of "Reinventing You" and "Stand Out." I also teach for Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. You can download my free 42-page Stand Out Self-Assessment Workbook at http://www.dorieclark.com/join.

Why Managers Fail Their Teams - And What To Do About It

“Teamwork” is the mantra of today’s workplace – but too few executives know how to manage and support it. That’s the conclusion of Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson, author of the new
Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in the Knowledge Economy. For starters, she says, the fast-paced demands of modern corporate life have rendered stable, carefully-selected, long-term teams obsolete: “We often don’t have the time and luxury to get it just right before the moment has passed,” she says. Instead, teams have yielded to a more fluid, ad hoc series of relationships – “teaming,” in which groups come together for short-term projects, often crossing geographical or other boundaries.

Here are three preventable mistakes managers often make in overseeing teams – and ways to prevent them.

Assuming teams magically take care of themselves. “Companies or managers will recognize that a certain project requires people to work together,” says Edmondson, “and then their strategy for facilitating that is to tell people they’re on the job and hope it works itself out.” That’s simply not going to cut it these days. Some managers lionize the chaos of innovative work – but, says Edmondson, “it still has to have a certain structure and discipline to get it right.” That might involve helping your team develop a process to ensure each member speaks up about their experience or what they know about a problem, specifically taking the time to synthesize and analyze their findings, and then make a decision.

Making your employees feel nervous. Interacting with a new group of colleagues can be stressful, says Edmondson. Because you haven’t yet built up trust, there’s an increased emphasis on protecting your reputation and not looking stupid – which can inhibit meaningful dialogue and progress. “When we’re managing our image, we’re reluctant to admit to shortcomings or mistakes, to ask for help, or even to blurt out a potentially good idea we’re not sure will be well-received by others,” she says. “Our desire not to look ignorant or incompetent is easy to manage as an individual – just don’t ask for help – but, of course, it’s bad for the organization.” The secret, instead, is “to let down my guard and think a little less about what others might think of me and focus more on the job.” But that’s only going to happen if managers – through their own openness and humility – create what Edmondson terms “a climate of psychological safety” at work.

Forgetting that different divisions and teams have their own language. If you’re collaborating with partners in other industries, companies, or even divisions, you may be in for a jargon-laden surprise. What did the CMO says about the CMS and how it impacts the CDM software? Things that seem obvious to you may be opaque to others – and vice versa. Says Edmondson, “What I might take for granted as an expert in one realm, someone else won’t know at all. But in what’s called the ‘curse of knowledge,’ if I know it well, I tend to think any idiot knows it.” That creates a barrier because – as above – no one wants to look stupid by asking too many questions. But it’s the only way to ensure everyone has a shared understanding. The task for managers, then, is to be aware of the challenges of communicating across boundaries and prepare for it, perhaps by creating “guides” to the other’s language, or just making it clear that questions are OK.

What examples have you seen of how teams work together successfully – or not?

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I agree that executives and senior managers often assume that their employees are mind readers who immediately grasp a new concept or program, comprehend their role within the vision, and envision the steps to accomplish the project.

In fact, constant, sustained, and creative communication is required to get everyone on board the same train, plane, or program. Good leaders understand they must share their vision, continually reinforce the goals, and reiterate their strategic plans.

Yet, too many managers fail to delegate responsibilities appropriately because they cherish the misconception that their abilities are superior to those of the people they manage. Since attitudes are always reflected in behavior, this creates a no-win environment for both themselves and their staff.

Delegating is not about relinquishing responsibilities. It is about stretching people, offering them new challenges and opportunities for personal and professional growth. When delegation is done well, a manager sets the people on his or her team up for success, thereby building her credibility as a leader.

One theme I noticed is the emphasis on leaders working to understand their employees’ point of view. It can be very difficult to remember with a deadline looming but the team will thank you for it.

One potential problem you may encounter with teams are individuals that are too liked-minded. In the best scenarios they agree with one another, but this can block out new ideas. In the worst scenarios they battle for supremacy. Sometimes choosing the team is just as important as leading the team.

What examples have you seen of how teams work together successfully – or not?

I’ve seen teams work excellently together until new talent is brought in to augment team skill set variety. Next thing you know, there is back stabbing, gossiping and irrational envy/jealousy and retaliation against the new worker or any one who works well with the new person. The adage about dividing and conquering takes on a whole new meaning here, because it is not clear that a new person deserves such an accusation, rather it was one old team member creating unnecessary drama and innuendo where none existed otherwise. Atmosphere went from cohesive to corrosive within a few months. In other words, being able to recognize one persons inability to work with all kinds of people should never be so pervasive, other talented employees leave because of managements failure to trim dead wood. Rude underhanded behaviors on the part of a team member towards other team members, new or not, is indicative of a sociopath. Managers should be very attuned to these situations and take necessary action, rather than sacrifice team morale or lose top talent.

Great article Dorie. You make some key observations about high performing teams.

I spent 10 years as a singer and actor within some of the world’s leading theatre companies where the expectation was on creating something extraordinary and doing that consistently.

I believe there are many pieces that are key to ensuring a team work at their edge and deliver something extraordinary. The leverage, is a strong feedback loop that starts right from the off-set. Many of the shows I was in are still multi million pound global phenomenons. We could not have achieved that and sustained it without the bravery to both offer and receive feedback: the praise and celebration and the challenge to do things differently.

Many of the teams and organisations I work with now fail to ensure that this is central to what they do. It is important if a team wants to reach ‘good’. It is critical if they aspire to be extraordinary.

Feedback has to be well intentioned, non-judgemental and offered with precision. It is a ‘choice’ for that person to decide on a different attitude and a different behaviour.

Great article Dorie. You make some key observations about high performing teams.

I spent 10 years as a singer and actor within some of the world’s leading theatre companies where the expectation was on creating something extraordinary and doing that consistently.

I believe there are many pieces that are key to ensuring a team work at their edge and deliver something extraordinary. The leverage, is a strong feedback loop that starts right from the off-set. Many of the shows I was in are still multi million pound global phenomenons. We could not have achieved that and sustained it without the bravery to both give and receive feedback: the praise and celebration and the challenge to do things differently.

Many of the teams and organisations I work with now fail to ensure that this is central to what they do. It is important if a team wants to reach ‘good’. It is critical if they aspire to be extraordinary.

Feedback has to be well intentioned, non-judgemental and offered with precision. It is a ‘choice’ for that person to decide on a different attitude and a different behaviour.